It probably should’ve been dolphins, just as a nod to H²G², but also because I’m not sure the scale of that Klingon BOP ever read as big enough for two whales to me.

But, some possible suspects: whales (maybe they are superintelligent, pan-dimensional beings and the business with the krill and the singing is just a front), whale keepers or collectors (maybe they’ve stocked Earth with an important livestock that they want to protect from the apes, or see TNG S3E22 “The Most Toys”), whale descendants (see VOY S3E23 “Distant Origins”), or a species that has determined that loss of the whales indicates humanity has become irredeemable (or a corrupted timeline).

The NexDock works, too.

Please, no. We don’t need more myopia from politicians.

With no taxes on tips (if it actually happens), expect a HUGE increase in tip expectations.

Do they mean “buying” instead of “owning”?

Adding seats to the court needs to happen, as well as reapportioning representatives, and giving electoral votes to DC and the territories. We need to find politicians that aren’t afraid to do it.

That’s an important issue, but if Democrats ever see power again, it’ll be important to focus on re-enfranchisement (RCV, instant runoff, or anything fairer than FPTP; NPVIC; national mail voting; mandatory voting), on judicial reform to undo the corruption and incompetence that has been packed there. Without those, keeping any gains will be impossible.

Then, triaging existential threats is critical, which will mean fighting climate change, investing in public transport (trains), and breaking up trusts will have to be pursued simultaneously. Stopping any support for genocide needs to happen as soon as possible.

There will be plenty more structural changes to fix beyond that: Protecting whistleblowers and protesters, improving FOIA, replacing norms with laws (Emoluments Clause enforcement, financial records disclosure, no insider trading for Congressmembers, &c), and all manner of civil rights protections and police reform.

After all that, it’ll be time for the stuff I’ve been hoping for: nationalizing healthcare and Internet access, and copyright reform.

Should I not be calling it “trans”?

https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/37394/why-do-some-words-have-x-as-a-substitute

None of this really addresses my question.

If voters bear no responsibility, do you really believe in democracy, or are you thinking about this as an issue to be solved by authority?

The self-righteousness of this discussion is a problem. Politics requires some humility, which we seem to be short of.

Interesting. That’s an angle I’ll have to consider. It seems like democracy with fixed terms and term limits has a similar problem to capitalism: myopia.

Liberal isn’t shorthand for libertarian.

I guess I’m focused on the professed, not measured, group size.

I really like the tiling window support in Pop_OS!'s Cosmos desktop.

I don’t believe I am talking about two different numbers when I’m talking about the same voting bloc for both.

The “we” I used was probably misplaced, since I think you are making a distinction between your position and “leftists”, who are the people I’ve seen on Lemmy advocating for destroying the system.

I’m not sure I follow your point about political engagement, I don’t think I mentioned anything about that. I was commenting on the size of the group of third-party and non- voters. If that group wasn’t big enough to change the outcome, I just don’t see how they could be relevant at all.

I think we must be in agreement, though, since you suggest that Democrats need to better engage with the working class. Maybe we need a dedicated labor party, though without a more parliamentary system, the parties can’t really be single-issue in the US.

Our politics needs more humility.

Self-righteousness is the root of the greatest evils.

I don’t understand the “we were to small to matter” argument I’ve been seeing. If that’s true, why on Earth would you expect to matter enough to move the Democratic platform, or to shape society after leftists “burn it all down” (whatever that means)?

I don’t understand the “we were to small to matter” argument I’ve been seeing. If that’s true, why on Earth would you expect to matter enough to move the Democratic platform, or to shape society after leftists “burn it all down” (whatever that means)?

you blame the voters but you do not want to put an ounce of blame on the party that would rather lose an election than offer meaningful change

Uh…

the DNC is out of touch with voters.

What is this, if not shared blame?